


Pax Romana

by a_shark_swimming



Category: Gladiator (2000)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cousin Incest, Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Mental Instability, Mpreg, War, foreign relations, maximus is emperor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 18:02:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10168685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_shark_swimming/pseuds/a_shark_swimming
Summary: Peaceful Rome. That is what the great country is, under the rule of Emperor Maximus. Blessed with a content nation, a loving consort, and two beautiful children, everything seems perfect. But everything will not be perfect under the surface, as he will soon find out.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MonsieurMadeleine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonsieurMadeleine/gifts).



> For this story, I chose to stick to some historical elements. One is Commodus taking rule at 19; the other is the exile of Lucilla, who in reality plotted to kill her brother, for which she was exiled and executed. There will be more to come on both, as well as his coup and marriage to Maximus, in later chapters.

Commodus groaned. He would be able to relax in a few hours, but not before then. He sank his head into the pillow of the main bed in the palace, squeezing his eyes shut.  
It had been over a week since he’d last seen Maximus. Over a week since the pains started. Over a week since the anguish, but that was finally over, hopefully never to return. He smiled to himself. Gods be praised. The two little whelps nestled in their basket a few feet from the bed were sleeping peacefully. Their children. No, Maximus’ children. Commodus knew he was merely an incubator for the two little gods, although Maximus had been thrilled the whole time and loved Commodus just a little more. He sighed, thinking back to Minerva. Why couldn’t they have come from his head? It would be far more preferable than to the feeling he’d felt of being cut in half through the middle.

Alas, they would awaken. Cry for their mother. The dumb nurse came and went whenever she pleased. He didn’t like the children latched on to him, he had felt animal, alien. The fennel the nurse was giving him, ground and mixed in water, didn’t help either. He ached occasionally, ached all over.  
Commodus didn’t want these things. He wanted Maximus. They didn’t even have names. Maximus would name them soon enough.  
Commodus rolled over on his back. He looked up at the canopy of his bed blankly. Everything would be fine soon enough. He’d be okay.

-  
Finally, time came. The children were washed, wrapped in rich Tyrian purple cloth, and placed delicately at the feet of their father. Maximus fairly beamed as he held them in his arms. The boy and girl resembled their mother, dark hair and dark eyes framed by long eyelashes. They were beautiful children, and Maximus silently prayed they would not be plagued by the instability that affected his cherished consort.

“Titus.” He gazed at the male child, taking the infant’s bulla pendant from around his own neck, and placing it around his son’s. He turned his gaze to the girl, who squirmed just a little. “Calm, now. Calm….Livia. Yes. Ssshhh.” Maximus secured her lunera around her neck, and she ceased squirming at his touch.  
“Oh, my children.” He kissed their foreheads. “All of Rome is at your feet, you are the future of Rome. When I’m gone, when Commodus is gone…It will be up to you two to rule. You own the entire world.” Maximus sighed happily, more so for the children than for himself.  
The rule of Maximus had been a peaceful one so far, and he hoped it would remain that way. Commodus was still upset about being second in command, and probably always would be, but he had stopped actively sulking and whining, only venting to Maximus within their dimly lit bedchamber in the silent night.

“Yes, my beloved children.” He whispered, answering their tiny whines. “You two will be great rulers when we’re gone.”  
And Emperor Maximus was content.  
-

Commodus refused to take part in nourishing the children, no matter how much Maximus pleaded with him. Titus and Livia were given to a wet nurse who’s duty was to feed and look after them, in their own little area of the palace.  
“Commodus, you’ll set a good example for the other young mothers in the city.” Maximus touched his hand gently. Commodus scowled.

“I don’t care about the women, Maxi.” He retorted. “I’ve done what I needed to do. You have an heir now-”  
“Darling-”

“I’m a ruler, Maxi. I’m an emperor, not a milk cow. Remember that. You might think I’m being selfish, and maybe I am, but it made me feel too much of an animal.”  
“Animal?” Maximus’ brow furrowed, he frowned. “You didn’t mind acting like an animal one bit when I plowed you like the bitch in heat that you were, Commodus.”

Commodus smiled. Maximus resisted the urge to slap him. He sighed heavily and turned from his consort. It wasn’t like he would never see his children again. They were only a few corridors away. He would deal with Commodus later.  
-

Commodus crept into the twins’ nursery. The morning sun would be shining in a little while. The nurse snored in her bed across from the infants’ cradle. The small pair finally slept peacefully.  
In the last month, the twins had developed a harsh cough that sounded like puppies barking, along with fevers, raggedy breathing, and restless sleep. Maximus fretted over them constantly, and had the nurse sit inside the hot baths, letting the two breathe in the steam, opening their little lungs so they breathe. The hot steam definitely helped, and Maximus paid the slaves who ran the hot bath extra money to keep the heat going night and day in case the children needed it.  
Commodus wished they sounded like puppies again, but he had to admit he was glad Titus and Livia were fine. His little whelps, they were. He smiled, scooping them up in his arms. Titus whimpered at being moved, but he settled down. Livia kicked her legs once, twice, then followed her brother in being still.  
He hummed to them softly, trying desperately to remember his own mother. Then it occurred to Commodus that he’d never known his mother, she had died when he was a baby, just a little older than his own children. Commodus sighed and held them close. He felt a tightness in his chest, a pang. Could it be the first signs of maternal affection?  
He sighed again, for he felt nothing more. He only felt sadness, for himself as well as the twins. He set them back in the cradle as dawn broke, sun rising slowly over the great, beautiful mountains, and left as silently as he’d come, pieces of him a little cracked inside.


End file.
